African Union Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (DPAPS) of the African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the Association of African Electoral Authorities (AAEA) with the support of the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), organised the 9th Annual Continental Forum of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) on 12th and 13th March 2025 in Accra, Ghana.
The forum convened under the theme: “All Votes Count: Addressing the Problem of Invalid or Rejected Ballots in Africa”. The theme seeks to address the increasing incidence of invalid or rejected ballots in elections on the continent over a period of time, which is notably above the global average. At the center of this entrenched problem is the elusive choice for voters to elect their leaders.
The forum was the ninth in a row, is one of the flagship policy platforms of the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) of the AUC aimed at promoting good governance and participatory democracy through fostering peer-learning and harnessing lesson-learning in election management on the continent of Africa and also part of the PAPS’ overall strategy on electoral assistance to the Member States in line with the mandate bestowed upon the AUC under Article 18 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
14 March 2025
